Kolkata Knight Riders will be out to shine in their armor in the upcoming 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR, who have won the illustrious trophy on two counts, are a side that can make things happen this season after some years of wilderness. The 2021 finalists, KKR, have been out of the league stage in four of the last five seasons. However, they have several aspects right now, and it’s a solid squad on offer.
KKR went big in the IPL auction in December when they broke the banks to sign Mitchell Starc as the Aussie pacer became the costliest signing in IPL history. Before that, the franchise roped in former skipper Gautam Gambhir as the team’s mentor. His knowledge and desire can be of massive help in the background. Shreyas Iyer, who missed the entirety of the IPL 2023 season, returns to lead the side. His presence fills in a huge gap in that middle order.
KKR have their core set of players, and the addition of several seasoned figures makes them look more compact than in recent times. KKR will be counting on consistent performances, which has eluded the side in recent years. If KKR wants to reach the playoffs once again, many aspects need to come by.
Ahead of a crunch season ahead, we present a detailed analysis of the eastern giants.
KKR’s squad for IPL 2024 season
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Sunil Narine, Jason Roy, Suyash Sharma, Anukul Roy, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Chetan Sakariya, Mitchell Starc, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramandeep Singh, Sherfane Rutherford, Manish Pandey, Mujeeb Rahman, Dushmantha Chameera, and Sakib Hussain.
What are the strengths?
KKR’s bowling is sturdy and has a nice blend. Notably, the side avoided several bowlers and opted for a new look. Starc will lead the pace attack. He is one of the world-class names to have on any side. His input will help the young bowling side. KKR got in the promising Chetan Sakariya, who has grown over the last few seasons. We saw glimpses of promise in Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora’s previous season, and the two could be helpful. Dushmantha Chameera of Sri Lanka brings in experience. He replaced Gus Atkinson. Lastly, all-rounders Andre Russell and Shrefane Rutherford can chip in.
Spin is KKR’s primary weapon, and it’s a dream unit. ‘OG’ Sunil Narine will continue to lead the side alongside the familiar Varun Chakravarthy, who was neat last season. We already saw Suyash Sharma come in and perform well. He can be the third spinner on slow tracks. In Anukul Roy, one gets a seasoned squad player. What KKR did well is to rope in Afghanistan’s Mujeeb ur Rahman. He can be pretty handy.
In batting, KKR have two of the best finishers in Rinku Singh and Russell. India’s Rinku was the hot property last season and has since become India’s main player in the 20-over format. Rinku is a calm customer with brutal force. Russell is a global star, and his ability to smash the ball gives KKR the edge at the death.
Iyer’s return is massive for KKR. His presence will lift the side. You get a solid tactician in Nitish Rana who can keep the score moving. KKR have two seasoned stars in terms of their opening. Jason Roy and Rahmanullah Gurbaz are no pushovers.
What are the weaknesses?
KKR do have a few weaknesses. Firstly, they look overdependent on Starc, and how their Indian crop of pacers react remains to be seen. Pressure will be there. Sakariya hasn’t played any cricket lately, and that is an issue. Rana is inexperienced. Vaibhav remains key after some decent show in the Ranji 2024 season for Himachal Pradesh.
Death bowling can be an issue. So, KKR must find one asset to deliver the goods alongside Starc. One worries about Narine. Although an IPL legend, Narine hasn’t done enough lately with both bat and ball. KKR need wickets and Narine needs to deliver this time. When Narine goes wicketless, the pressure falls on the rest.
KKR’s bench, in terms of batting, has the quality, but there are questions. Manish Pandey and KS Bharat are experienced but lack bite in this phase.
KKR will also have a dilemma with their batting upfront. A dream combination is of Roy and Gurbaz, but with three foreign stars certain in Narine, Starc, and Russell; one could miss out. And there could be a hole. A familiar thing we have seen of late.
Who can be KKR’s Impact Players?
With the Impact Player rule, teams can name five substitutes and use one of them when needed. If four foreign players are already named in the XI, the impact player can only be an Indian. So KKR have work to do here and get the right call. Suyash Sharma, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, and KS Bharat are possible bets as Impact Players.
Probable KKR XI
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Manish Pandey, Nitish Rana, Shreyas Iyer (c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Mitchell Starc, Varun Chakravarthy, Chetan Sakariya.
Players to watch out for
Rinku Singh: As per ESPNcricinfo, Rinku has a strike rate of 190.60 in the last four overs (16-20) and an average of 38.33 in the IPL. He has smashed 26 fours and 25 sixes in this period.
Mitchell Starc: A lethal left-arm pacer, Starc owns 48 wickets in the power play at 27.29 and an economy rate worth 6.55 in over 20-over cricket.
IPL 2024 season: KKR will finish in the top six
KKR have quality names and plenty of options. A solid bowling unit, KKR can mix things well when needed. The rhythm will be a crucial factor. One has some serious match-winners present. However, the pace department lacks that experience, and batting upfront is an issue. Iyer will have his task cut out. One feels that KKR will finish in the top six, but playoffs may not be guaranteed.
Meanwhile, the IPL earlier announced the schedule of the first 21 matches. The remaining fixtures will be announced in due course.
KKR IPL 2024 schedule of games
March 23 – Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata (7:30 PM IST)
March 29 – Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Bengaluru (7:30 PM IST)
April 3 – Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Visakhapatnam (7:30 PM IST)